1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chip component holding plate. More specifically, the present invention relates to a chip component holding plate which is utilized, for example, for holding components while applying external electrodes thereto, such as for use with a super-miniature monolithic ceramic capacitor, resistor, etc., and a method for applying and electrode onto a chip electronics component by employing such a holding plate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a holding plate which is used when applying an external electrode onto a chip electronics component such as a monolithic ceramic capacitor, is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,381,321; 4,393,808; 4,395,184 and 4,526,129, for example.
In the case where the chip electronics component is very small such that the same has dimensions, for example, of 0.8 mm, 1.6 mm and 0.8 mm in width, length and thickness, the conventional holding plate has the following problems to be solved, not only in manufacturing such a holding plate but also in using the same.
More specifically, in the case where the chip electronics component is very small, it is necessary to form very small holding holes into each of which the chip electronics component is press-inserted, but it is difficult to manufacture a holding plate having a number of small through holes. The reason is as follows: A rubber sheet member comprised in the holding plate is formed by a molding method, where a liquid rubber material is injected into a metal mold, the metal mold comprising molding pins for forming the through holes. In order to provide small inside widths of the through holes, it is necessary to make the molding pins very thin. However, if the pins are very thin, the same are easily bent by the pressure when the rubber material is injected into the metal mold, and therefore it is hard to obtain the rubber sheet in which desired through holes are formed.
Furthermore, in order to hold a large number of chip electronics components on the holding plate, it is necessary to make the area of the holding plate large. If the area of the holding plate is large, a warp of the holding plate takes place when the holding plate is moved, and therefore the end surfaces of all of the chip electronics components are not flush and even when the end surfaces thereof are simultaneously pressed against an electrically conductive paste to form electrodes on the end surfaces. Accordingly, the positions on the respective chip electronics components where the external electrodes are applied become uneven.
In addition, press pins are utilized to insert first end portions of the chip electronics components, onto which the external electrodes have been formed, into the through holes of the holding plate so as to expose the second end portions of the chip electronics components where the external electrodes are still not formed. It is necessary to make such press pins longer than the length of the chip electronics components by several times. On the other hand, if the chip electronics components are very small, it is necessary to make the press pin thin. Therefore, the press pins become weak and the press pins are easily bent in further press-inserting the chip electronics components into the through holes of the holding plate.
Furthermore, improved holding plates are proposed by the same assignee of the present invention, which are disclosed in, for example, Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 78133/1985 laid open on May 31, 1985 and Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 26026/1987 laid open Feb. 17, 1987, but none of them solves the above described disadvantage.